Any recovering addicts?

samilynn005

I'm struggling with a drug addiction and when I got sober I put on about 60lbs ( I needed to gain some just not that much) Now I've got to lose about 30lbs but I'm doing it in a healthy way and it feels great. I've found that working out has been a great stress reliever and has helped me stay sober. I'm going on 6 months of sobriety in October. Anyone else struggling with addiction?

kshama2001

I used to self-medicate with alcohol, food, other substances and behaviors, and now also manage stress with exercise. Go us!

I know lots of people who like 12 Step programs but Smart Recovery and Rational Recovery were way more useful to me. Wanted to let people who might be struggling with or not interested in the 12 Step model that there are other options available.

juliebowman4

10yrs clean and sober here
But my extra weight didn't really appear until I quit the cigarette about 3yrs ago.

Grey_1

Clean and sober here as well. Congratz on the upcoming 6 months OP! Keep taking it one day at a time

Unknown

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Elise4270

Congratulations on your sobriety! My husband just celebrated 12 years.

cc_atlants

Yes. Still addicted to nicotine, but otherwise I used to be addicted to drugs in general. It's kind of odd because you usually only hear stories of people getting addicted to one particular substance at a time. So long as I was high or rolling or tripping or drunk, I was fine. It wasn't one particular drug. The boredom of being sober was draining. My anxiety problems were harder to put aside. What do I have access to? Weed, booze, MDMA, coke, Lucy, DMX, ice, xannies, addie, speed? Whatever it is, I would take it. It was drugs of some nature nearly every night. Was spending an average of $700/mo on a 29k annual pay for about six months.

I have not done any hard drugs since April (except 1g of coke in June), and I'm really proud of it. It took a really bad trip on Lucy and a trip to the hospital for me to snap back to reality. Sought therapy for the drug use and anxiety and learned to deal with sobriety head-on. It did, unfortunately, cause my appetite to jump start and I really have gained a significant amount of weight since April. Most hard drugs kill your appetite for 12-24 hours at a time, so it was different being hungry often.

I use my nicotine addiction still to stave off cravings since it does dull hunger for a short time, but since starting this diet, I'm just trying to keep my weekly weight loss goal LOW so I can eat more, still lose weight (over a longer amount of time), be satisfied with what I'm eating so I'll keep going. I know I would not be able to do this eating "health" foods. I still eat junk food, just small amounts.

terribuchin

One day at a time! Congratulations!

Sweet_Heresy

Recovering alcoholic...little over a month sober, after making it almost a year before i relapsed.

Congrats on 6 months. It's tough, keep going.

KarlMarx2

I hear ya, great job so far! What was crazy for me was that while I was using I was actually taking care of myself (with eating healthy and exercising). I think I just didn't want to look like a stereotypical drug user. When I finally stopped, I gained 50 lbs in ~1 year.

I know it's not what many will agree with but what finally got me moving and taking care of myself again was my appearance. I realized that the best I've ever looked in my life was while I was messing around with a handful of different drugs 2+ years sober and I looked like a mess. That *kitten* wasn't gonna fly any longer. Motivation is motivation imo. W/e is pushing you into a healthy lifestyle, hold onto it and build onto it.

svincent21

I'm a alcoholic, been sober 4.5 years. I gained weight in sobriety because no matter the vice, I'm addicted to more. More alcohol turned into more food and now finally I'm addicted to getting healthy. It's been a rough road but worth it. I got sober many many times over before it seemed to have stuck.

The thing about addicts is once we are sober, we become these strong, determined and amazing people. It's always been there but alcohol and drugs rained on our shine.

Keep strong everyone, keep shining!

SuperCarLori

samilynn005 wrote: »

I'm struggling with a drug addiction and when I got sober I put on about 60lbs ( I needed to gain some just not that much) Now I've got to lose about 30lbs but I'm doing it in a healthy way and it feels great. I've found that working out has been a great stress reliever and has helped me stay sober. I'm going on 6 months of sobriety in October. Anyone else struggling with addiction?

I was an opiate/cocaine addict for seventeen years, almost five now without relapse. Weight gain was a huge trigger for me. I'll send you a friend request.

STLBADGIRL

I just want to send everyone love here! Addiction runs strong in my family. You all are giving me hope for my family. Keep being strong. To overcome addiction is some true strength. Congrats to you all!

memegirl77

kshama2001 wrote: »

I used to self-medicate with alcohol, food, other substances and behaviors, and now also manage stress with exercise. Go us!

I know lots of people who like 12 Step programs but Smart Recovery and Rational Recovery were way more useful to me. Wanted to let people who might be struggling with or not interested in the 12 Step model that there are other options available.

I am in recovery and though the 12 step model works for me, different things work for different people. I am so glad other programs are available. I personally would probably benefit from adding other programs information.

JRSINAZ

I was a food, fat, sugar, alcohol addict. No more. Told myself "stop putting stuff in your mouth that doesn't belong there"

DreaDarling87

I am a recovering drug addict and alcoholic. I have a little over 2 years clean and sober. When I was in my addiction I weighed 145lbs and after I got clean I ballooned up to 240lbs (I'm a female, 5'5"). I started using myfitnesspal in January and have lost 68lbs. I currently weigh 172lbs. I still have a ways to go before I reach my goal weight but I am the happiest and healthiest I have been in years!

LiveLoveFitFab

90 days clean and sober here. I have bi-polar disorder, which when not managed causes me to seek out any means to be able to function. As long as my meds are right, I don't want to use at all, so the two are tied together.

After having my disorder badly managed for the last year and a half and suffering through every single day, and using just to be able to do normal things, I finally had my meds adjusted and I am fit as a fiddle for the first time in a long time. I prefer to exercise and meditate than use drugs, but things happen.

I've been working on losing the weight I've gained in the last year, since using leaves me with little ability to want to eat properly, and no will to exercise.

I'm taking the next six months to get myself on a good track before hopefully being able to return to work, for the first time in a long time.

Congrats on the clean time! You're doing great. Exercise is a much healthier addiction, so that's where I'm putting my energy into.

jasummers76

LiveLoveFitFab wrote: »

90 days clean and sober here. I have bi-polar disorder, which when not managed causes me to seek out any means to be able to function. As long as my meds are right, I don't want to use at all, so the two are tied together.

After having my disorder badly managed for the last year and a half and suffering through every single day, and using just to be able to do normal things, I finally had my meds adjusted and I am fit as a fiddle for the first time in a long time. I prefer to exercise and meditate than use drugs, but things happen.

I've been working on losing the weight I've gained in the last year, since using leaves me with little ability to want to eat properly, and no will to exercise.

I'm taking the next six months to get myself on a good track before hopefully being able to return to work, for the first time in a long time.

Congrats on the clean time! You're doing great. Exercise is a much healthier addiction, so that's where I'm putting my energy into.

I'm also Bipolar.. prior to being diagnosed I used gambling as my coping skills. I have not placed a bet in over 10 years. The first doctor I went to had me on so many drugs I was so out of it all I did was eat and sleep gained nearly 100 lbs in 6 months. Thankfully with a good support network and a good doctor I am doing much better. God bless all of you..

Lpaige89

just wanted to say hi, ill be clean and sober and nicotine free, 7 years in january... was a hardcore daily drinker/user, then when i went into recovery I gained a significant amount of weight. I was in a 12 step program for the first 5 and just realized it wasn't for me. Over the 7 years my weight has been up and down and as of recently a little more up.

I find that stress is a huge trigger for me to overeat, I'm a chemistry major and my courseload is quite heavy for school... I work with a coach who i do weekly checkins, she gave me my meal plan and workout plan so it helps keep me accountable.

Ive always worked out since I got clean but really have gotten into lifting in the past .. That and school has given me the most self confidence that I lacked in my using days.

Good luck with your journey!

GettingThere62

You guys just wow me. So strong so fabulous. Love you all ❤️